Rights of Colored Citizens

May 10, 1870

Summary

Republicans are promoting legislation that protects the rights of"colored" citizens by passing of bills that allows the use of militia and naval forces to do so.

Transcription

Washington, May 8- In the forthcoming Republican congressional caucus a southern senator intends to propose a policy, to be incorporated into a law, for the better protection of the colored people of the South and to secure the enforcement of the fifteenth amendment in the North. This will take something of the shape of a bill prepared by Mr. Pool, of North Carolina, and which will declare that all citizens of the United States shall have in the several States all the privileges and immunities of life, liberty, and property. It will declare it to be unlawful for persons to combine and conspire to violate or hinder or impede any of the rights meant to be secured by this act, one of which is to prevent the discharge from employment of any person with intent to restrain his free ad complete exercise of this proposed legislation is to authorize the President to employ the land and naval forces or the militia to preserve the peace in any State.